[CP 140-141-141.5 CD] Elektron Musik Studion, Dokumentation 1-4, En Pistolskiva

2021 update; not so much a reédition (the CP 140-141 set itself remains unchanged from its prior Double Compact Disc-Recordable version) but the addition of the "Bonus" CP 141.5 Miniature Compact Disc-Recordable (bringing it up to spec alongside the other CP X40-X41-X41.5 "2.5-disc" title; Pietro Grossi's "Computer Music, Buon Natale 1967 E Felice Anno Nuovo") replicating the only other Early Electronic Music title released by Sveriges Radio in the mid-1960s (aside, of course, from Lars-Gunnar Bodin & Bengt Emil Johnson's "Semikolon," lovingly & perfectly reissued by Paradigm Discs on vinyl a few years back) in the form of the 1966 "En Pistolskiva" marbled-vinyl (?!) 10" proffering a pair of side-length Tape-Collage Hörspiele/Concrète pieces: Staffan Olzon's "Snyggt Och Trevligt" b/w Pi Lind's "På Vägen Mot Enköping" (this is available by itself via the drop-down menu as CP 141.5, as is the original Double Compact Disc-Recordable as CP 140-141. and of course all three discs together as CP 140-141-141.5 for the newly initiated!)

Issued privately by Stockholm’s "Elektron Musik Studion” (EMS) between 1966 & 1973, the four “Dokumentation” LPs were something of a seasonal report card of the studio’s charter output, “internally” issuing key early works.

Composers Ralph Lundsten & Leo Nilsen - whose side-length “Aloha Arita” & “Kalejdoskop” have only been issued in severely excerpted form in the interim, - Karl-Birger Blomdahl, Bengt Emil Johnson, Jan W. Morthenson, Arne Mellnäs, Lars-Gunnar Bodin, and Sven-Erik Bäck all completed their first electro-acoustic pieces in the studio between 1965 & 1973 - all of which are represented here in their embryonic state.

While some of this material has shown up in revised or reworked form over the years via a stream of compilations & overviews, it’s extremely interesting to see & hear it all in its original iteration, in a manner devoid of rampant historical revisionism & favoritism in a stark, appealing manner.

Note that, for sake of the 4 "Dokumentation" LPs fitting neatly onto two discs instead of three, the running order has been modified. Disc one contains:

Ralph Lundsten och Leo Nilsson; Aloha Arita (14:33)
Ralph Lundsten och Leo Nilsson; Kalejdoskop (18:30)
Karl-Birger Blomdahl; Altisonans (19:10)
Bengt Emil Johnson; 1/1967 (19:16)
Arne Mellnäs; Conglomerat (8:04)

Disc two contains:

Jan W Morthenson; Epsilon Eridani (16:55)
Lars-Gunnar Bodin; Winter-events (15:31)
Sven-Erik Bäck; In Principio (14:15)
Bengt Emil Johnson; 3/1970 (Bland) III (8:13)
Lars-Gunnar Bodin; Toccata (15:33)
Lars-Gunnar Bodin; Traces I (7:00)